Typographical composing-machine.



C. MUEHLEISEN.

TYPOGRAPHICAL GOMPOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1912.

Patented Apr. 21, 191% nnrrnn STATES IZATENT OFFICE.

CARL MUEHLEISEN, OF BER-LIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO MERGENTHALER LINO- TYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING-MACI-IIN E.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL MUnI-ILuIsnN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 23 Chausseestrasse, Berlin, N. 4, in the Empire of Germany, have invented new and useful Improvements in Typographical Composing-lllachines, of which the following is a specification.

In a former application for Letters Pat ent switching devices have been described for releasing matrices bearing like charactors, from two or more magazine channels of the same composing machine, these devices comprising, besides the usual key for each of the respective channels, a special key common to all of those particular channels, this key serving by its successive operations, to enable matrices to be automatically released from the respective channels in alternation or succession. The justnamed special key was provided with a weighted pawl which engaged a ratchet wheel so that at each depression of the said key the ratchet wheel would be turned angularly about its axis. This ratchet wheel was fast on a horizontal shaft on which were also rigidly secured a series of cams each formed with a succession of humps or projections which latter, in the different cams, were arranged in step-wise or staggered re lationship to each other. Of the last-named cams there *as one for each of the above particularized channels and each one was adapted to actuate its respective key rod by engaging with a screw adjustable in the latter, the said key rod being itself arranged to rock the respective well-known tumbler to effect the release of the corresponding cam-carriage which, in turn, operated the respective escapement reed and escapement lever. In the arrangement just described the depression of the special key involved the exertion of considerably greater power on the part of the operator than did the de pression of the other or ordinary keys and consequently it could readily happen that the special key would not be depressed by the operator, sufliciently to insure a matrix being released.

The object of the present invention is to provide means by which the aforesaid difliculty is overcome, and in accordance with the said invention this result is obtained by mechanism so devised that the only work to be done by the actual manual Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 26, 1912.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914. Serial No. 722,398.

depression of the special key is (as is the case with all the other or ordinary keys) to effect the release of a cam carriage, and that this carriage in turn effects the actual operation of the switching devices proper. By these means the touch of the special key is practically identical with that of the other keys.

Figure l is a vertical section through the key board of a composing machine showing my invention applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a detailed rear view.

2 is a key rod engaged with the key in well-known manner; 3 is a tumbler pivoted to the fixed framing & of the machine; 5 is a so-called cam carriage pivoted so as to be capable of rocking upon a stationary pivot 6, and itself having pivoted therein a cam 7, and 8 is a continuously rotating roller situated beneath the cam 7.

Normally the key rod 2 is in its lowest position and the upstanding arm of the tumbler 3 is supporting the cam carriage in normal position in which the cam 7 is held out of contact with the roller 8. When, however, the key 1 is depressed, the tumbler is tilted so as to remove its support from the cam carriage 5 which thereupon falls and brings the cam 7 into frictional contact with the continuously rotating roller 8 which thereby imparts rotation to the said cam, and this latter, by reason of its shape causes the cam carriage 5 to be first raised above and then restored to its normal position in which it is again arrested by the tumbler 3 which in the meantime had re turned to its normal position.

All of the parts just described are to be found in the typographical machine known commercially under the trade mark Lino-- type, and they each perform a function identical with or analogous to that respectively assigned to it in the said machine.

The cam carriage 5 is adapted to engage at its swinging end with a lug or projection 9 formed on the upper end of a vertically slidable rod 10 which is suitably guided on a fixed part of the machine framing. On the rod 10 is pivoted a pawl 11 the upper end of which is adapted to engage with a ratchet wheel 12 fast upon a shaft 13 rotatable in stationary bearings 14, the said pawl being normally held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 12 by its own weighted lower end.

The shaft 13 corresponds to that of the herein first mentioned arrangement, and, like that shaft, has fast on it a series of staggeredly arranged cams such as 15 each of which engages with a nose or screw 16 carried on a key rod 17 which, like the key rod 2, is in pivotal connection with a pivoted tumbler (such as the tumbler which, through a cam carriage (like 5) controls the operation of the respective matrix escape- V ment.

It should be noted that there is a separate finger key 17 for each of the key rods 17 whereby they may be operated independently when desired.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the depression of the special key 1 serves merely to release the mechanism which immediately thereafter automatically performs the more strenuous part of the operation of turning the shaft 13 and releasing the respective matrices.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a plurality of escapement actuating devices, a finger key common to all of said devices, and an intermediate poweroperated device controlled by the finger key to actuate said devices in succession, one only at each operation of the finger key.

2. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a plurality of escapement actuating devices, a finger key common to all of said devices, a rotatable switch formed with a series of cams or projections arranged in staggered relation to each other so as to engage and actuate the said devices in succession, one only at each operation of the finger key, and power-driven mechanism controlled by the finger key for rotating the switch.

3. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a plurality of escapement actuating devices, a finger key common to all of said devices, and intermediate powerdriven mechanism for actuating the said devices in succession, one only at each operation of the finger key, said mechanism comprising a cam carriage, a rotatable switch to engage the actuating devices successively, and a connection between the carriage and the switch.

4. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a plurality of escapement actuating devices, a finger key common to all of said devices, and intermediate powerdriven mechanism for operating said devices in succession, one only at each operation of the finger key, the said mechanism comprising a cam carriage, a rotating switch turned intermittently at successive operations of the cam carriage, a reciprocating rod operatively engaged with the cam carriage, and a pawl and ratchet connection between the rod and switch.

In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a plurality of cscapement actuating devices, separate finger keys for operating said devices independently, an additional finger key common to all of said devices, and intermediate power-driven mechanism for operating said devices in successsion, one only at each operation of said additional finger key.

I11 witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

CARL MUEIILEISEN.

Witnesses IVOLDEMAR HAUr'r, I'IENRY HAsrER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

